Aeroplane.



AEROPLANE.

APPucATloN mit) DEc.14. 1911.

1,297,264. Patented 11m. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

JOSEPH- A. SIMMS, OF DETROI'JJ,` MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES H.

GREGG A N'D GEORGE A. GBEGG AND ONE-FOURTH T0 ANTHONY LASZLO, ALL 0F DETEoIT, MICHIGAN.

. AEROPLAN E.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application led December 14, 1917. Serial No. 207,178.

To all 'whom z't may concern:

Be it lmown that I, JOSEPH A. SIMMs, citizen of the United States, residin at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Mmhigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Aeroplanes, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and 'exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, whic form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to aeroplanes shown in the accompanying drawin s and more particularly pointed out in t e following specification and claims.

One of the objects of. this invention is to provide means iwhereby the aeroplane may,

rise vertically to a suitable altitude preceding its horizontal flight, or descend in a like manner that it may be operated within a restricted ground area.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the device may be readily converted into a parachute in the event of the disablement of the operating mechanism, to insure the safe landing of the aviator. p

Another object of the invention is to provide for folding the sustaining surface of the aeroplane to a wedge-like orm preceding its vertical ascent, in order to avoid the resistance it would otherwise offer to a rapid upwardv movement.

Another feature of the invention is the stabilizing means employed to maintain equilibrium, which is under the direct con,- trol of the aviator.

Another feature of the invention is the employment of two propellers, or a multiple of two, forV the vertical raising. of the 'aeroplane, the propeller blades rotating in opposite directions in order to revent the rotation of the aeroplane itsel about its vertical axis.l

Another feature of the invention is the employment of other independently operated propeller blades adapted tol drive the aeroplane vin a horizontal direction, upon arriving at a proper altitude.

. With the foregoing and lother objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention also resides in the combination and arrangement ofparts and in the details of constructlon hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood.

that changesV in the precise embodiment herein disclosed may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying -this speci- Iication:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional vieW,-diagrammatic in character,- showing an aeroplane embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, also of a diagrammatic character, showing the sustaining surface folded, as when making a vertical ascent, and in dotted lines the siilsliining surface extended, as in horizontal ig. 3 is a diagrammatic front end elevation of the aeroplane showing the sustaining surface Ain dotted lines as it would appear when folded.

Fig. 4 is plan Viewy with a portion of the sustaining surface broken away to show the' mechanism connected to the aviator seat for warping the stabilizing ailerons, also the foot lever controlling the operation of the landing clamp.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the landing clamp or anchoring device to secure the aeroplane against drifting when resting upon the ground.

Referring now to the letters of reference spread upon the drawings,- V

A, denotes a sustaining surface supported by a suitable framework B, and hinged to a ridge be adjusted to a wedge-like form when making a vertical ascent. D, indicates a plural number of vertically arranged rack bars extending downwardly from the ridge member to the body E. F, indicates an adjustable shaft Vlying parallel with the ridge member provided with inions G, in mesh with `the respective rac -bars. H, denote castings Htted to the shaft F, and adapted to slide upon and respectively embrace the rack-bars that the pini'ons may be maintained in meshed relation therewith. I, are brace rods hinged to the castings and to'the frame supporting the sustaining surface A.

J, indicates sprocket wheels mounted upon the shaft F, and K, are sprocket hand-chains for the use of the aviator and his assistant in manually raising or lowering the sustaining surface. K', indicate pockets in the body E,

member as indicated at C, that it mayV loo c t e rocking lever secured to eacli aileron for tilting thc latter.

M, indicates cables connected to each end or each lever,-supported by suitable pulleys onand respectively connected with the opposite arms El, or the aviators seat i, which in turn is adapted to tilt upon a longitudinally arranged support N2. i

Na, is eat for the aviators assistant conveniently placed for the operation otone of the sprocket chains l.

if, fi are swinging walls hinged to the sustaining surface A, and provided with an operating cable e2, (guided and supported oy suitable pulleys A3) for manually raisor lowering the'walls, whereby the sustaining sur-face may be converted into a parachute should the motive power become disabled. r

are propeller blades tical shafts, adapted to be rotated in opposite directions,which while serving to hrt rlie aeroplane vertically cooperate to prevent le rotation of the aeroplane around its ver- Gne of the vertical sliaits is t buinounted on vertical artis.

each shaft at its lower end is litted with a bevel gear in mesh with a driving gear l, mounted on the drive shaft Q', or the n Ae mover R,

denotes a suitable clutch iiiecnanisni, manually actuated by the lever EK., from the aviators seat to control the opi @tion or the propeller blades Q2, is sprocket wheel on the forward end of the drive shaft, connected by a sprocket chain with a sprocket wheel carried by suitably journaled horizontal s C the outer end of shi' the propeller blades T, for di plane in aorward or lio-rizo n denotes a clutch mech` the control oi the lever M :governing the i.' n TNW. au. operation of tne propeller b Les i ,delle arrangement being such that when the controlling lever R', is operated :f 4 nate the propeller blades l?, l), the propell `-r blades T, are disengaged, and vice versa. indie 'f a steering wheel journaled upon`a roei. g standard li', pivoted at U2, to a supporting platform or lframe. V, denotes a horizontal and vertical steering rudder haring a universal joint V, whereby it may be operated in a vertical or in a horizontal direction. i, indicates an arm for operating the rudconnected by cables lf2, V3, with the druro of the steering wheel U, for operating the `udder to the right or lett.

i .ism also under are pulleys for guiding and supporting th cables. T he rocking standard U, is proM vided wi'h downwardly directed arm U2, ce by a Cable lla, with the operating r o the rudder ifor tilting in an upward direction upon manually opin torni to receive the other shaft and the latter.

` lane after it has alihted unon the round E) .L b 3 consisting of a pair of arc-shaped members r A connected to a sprino actuated plun- Oer K2. 3, is a 'pulley journaled in the end ed the plunger, and X4, is a pulley secured to the frame adjacent to the plunger. Y, indi- Cates a cable passing over and under said respective pulleys with one end secured to the i'rame, its opposite ends being connected with a foot treadle Y which when manually operated serves to force the arc-shaped members of the landing clamp into the ground.

The several parts having now been indicated by reference letters, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood.

vWhen about to make an ascent the aviator causes the sustaining surface to fold into a wedge-like Jform by operating the-sprocket hand-chains K, controlling the rotation of the pinions G, or the adjustable shaft in mesh with the rack-bars D. The adjustable shaft l?, is thus lowered and with it the castings H, to which are secured the brace rods l, in turn connected to the frame of the sustainingsurface. The sustaining surface may thus be folded into the form indicated in Fig. 2 thereby odering less resist-ance to a rapid vertical ascent. rEhe prime mover being in operation, the clutch mechanism R, is manually actuated by means of the lever FJ, causing the propeller-blades P, to rotate in opposite directions as previously eX- plained. Having reached a proper altitude the sustaining surface is opened (asvindicated in full lines in Fig. 3) either me crianically, or by. the force of the wind, the clutch mechanism R, is then released by a reverse movement or' the lever R, whereupon the propeller blades P, P, cease to operate, simultaneously with the engagement of the clutch a, controllingthe operation of the propeller blades T. driving the aeroplane in a forward direction.

o suce-r the aeroplane to the right or left, the cables "V2, V3, connected with the rudder arm V, and with the drum of the steering wheel ll, are operated by rotating the steering wheel to the right or left in the usual manner.

To cause the aeroplane to make a gradual ascent or descent, the rudder is tilted by means o' the cables U3, U4, connected with the rudder operating arm V', and the rocking standard U', as vpreviously indicated; In order to maintain equilibrium the balancing surfaces or ailerons L, L hinged to the sustaining surface are actuated by the aviator by means of the cables M, Vconnected with the respective arms of the aviators'tilt# ing seat N. In the event of the prime mover or other operating mechanism becoming disabled the aviator may make a safe landing by converting the sustaining surface into a parachute by releasing the swinging walls A', A that they may assume a vertical position, thereby affording greater' resistance to the descent of the aeroplane. v

On landing upon the ground the aeroplane may be secured against drifting"7 along its surface, by operating the foot lever Y', with which a cable 'is connected adapted to actuate the landing clamp X, the operation of which has been explained. When making a vertical landing it will be obvious that the propeller P, P will serve to checker reduce the Speed of the descent. 'f While only one propeller T, is shown to drive theaeroplane in a forward direction a plural number maybe employed if desired.

I-Iaving thus described my invention what I claim is l. Inan aeroplane, a sustaining surface composed of two side members hingedly connected together along their inner longitudinal edges and adapte-d to be folded longitudinally, means for adjusting the degree of angularity given to the respective portions of the sustaining surface, a prime mover, means actuated thereby to cause the aeroplanevto rise vertically, and manually ad justable, relatively narrow, vertically swing ing members secured to said sustaining surface, adapted to resist the escape of air from beneath the sustaining surfacewhereby the latter may be converted into a parachute to provide for asafe landing in the event vof an laccident to the operating mechanism.

2. In an aeroplane, a body, a folding sustaining surface of a length substantially the length of the body, 'means for adjusting the angularity of each portion of said sustaining surface, relatively narrow transversely disposed ailerons hinged to eachportion of the sustaining surface, and means for manually adjusting said ailerons to effect equilibrium.

3. In an aeroplane, a longitudinally hinged sustaining surface, a plurality of vertically arranged rack-bars, a vertically a'djustable shaft fitted with pinions in mesh with the respective rack-bars, suitable castings, in which said shaft is journaled, sleeves upon the rack-bars and adapted to ignaintain the pinion in meshed relation with said rackbars, and means for manually rotating Vthe lwith the sustaining surface, and means for manually rotating the shaft, where-by the respective portions'of the sustaining surface may be adjusted with reference to each other.

5. In an aeroplane, a longitudinally hinged sustaining surface, a prime mover, a pair of vertical concentrically disposed shafts extending through the hinged Sustaining surface along the line of said hinged connection, a horizontal shaft, propeller blades mounted upon the respective shafts, means actuated by the prime mover adapted to roy tate the vertical shafts with their respective propeller blades in opposite directions, and manually operated means for alternately connecting the vertical and horizontal shafts in driving relation with the prime mover.

6. In an aeroplane, a sustaining surface, a plurality of vertically arranged rack-bars, a vertically adjustable shaft fitted with pinions in mesh with the respective rack-bars, means for rotating the shaft whereby the sustaining surface may be adjusted.

7. In an aeroplane, a longitudinally hinged sustaining surface, a plurality of ver- 'tically arranged rack-bars, a vertically ad justable horizontal shaft provided with pinions adapted to mesh with the rack-bar, and

means for rotating the shaft whereby the respective portions of the sustaining surface may be adjusted with relation to each other.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

. JOSEPH A. SIMMS. Witnesses:

' S. E. THOMAS,

JOHN CoNsIDINn, J r. 

